It's My House (Right?)
An Owner Built Home
One of the most contentious debates over how architects should design and work often comes down to the agency of the owner in the process of the design. You would think it would make sense for the owner (or the occupant) to have a strong input in how a design is executed and formed - especially when it comes to their own residence. But these days, more often than not, people don't get a say in what their residence is going to be like. Unless it is built from scratch, most homes are some form of a developer model, copied and pasted across the vast landscape, ultimately creating a completely uniform housing condition (aesthetically). This is then reinforced by various organization and groups, from HOAs to Design Review Boards. The decision of the architect to ignore the will of the owner has become enshrined in our various cultural practices, and even our policies. It goes beyond much more than individual projects. If we are to perform our duty to society, it must first be by performing our duty to our clients/occupants/owners. Nobody wants to live in a house designed for someone else.
Hayden, I agree that its true most people don't get to design their own house but I think we can help them design their houses rather than blindly design whatever they want. We learn so much in school that can save them costs in the future such as little things like designing for sun orientation. We can help them design their dream house in a more conscious way
ReplyDeleteWhile they might not get a say in the preliminary designs of the home, owners typically modify their houses as they see fit after buying them. New paint colors, torn down walls, or total interior renovations are quite common to make the space feel like it belongs to the new owner. Even when people design their own homes, they often find something they wish that they wouldn't have done, like put the laundry on the opposite end of the house as the bedrooms. Homeowners must find a balance between their own custom home or a customized home that belonged to someone else.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting you bring up Design Review Boards because yes, they do alter the design of a project to where even an owner of a house can't overrule their provisions. Less and less agency is given to those who are actually inhabiting these spaces and it really is sad. I know that some form of rule must be in place so that we are respecting history and surrounding buildings, but at what point does it become a dictatorship of what you can and can't do vs. democracy and negotiation to allow for some form of ownership over a design or user's space.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that it is sad that not everyone gets to design a house that they want. If you buy a plot that hasn't been developed yet, you can customize your house to fit your family needs, almost at the same price as buying a house in the same neighborhood that is already built. The problem is, your house will probably not be well built even though it is new.
ReplyDeleteHey Hayden! I thought your insight into the encroachment of various influences on the ability to do participatory design is really interesting. I think the root cause of why participatory design can't be achieved in America varies by project. However you mentioned that the aesthetic uniformity of a neighborhood designed by developers copy & past tactic is one of these obstructing factors of participatory design. I agree with this statement for the most part but I don't think that the aesthetic similarity of homes deprives this type of design.
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